By Sihle Nzima
With the national General Election just two days away and with political parties campaigning robustly for votes, the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Community Safety and Liaison has reassured that the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security Cluster will crack down on conduct that might pose a possible threat during the election and afterwards.
The department said at a recent media briefing that there are more than 17 000 police and other security personnel, and 1 008 social crime-prevention volunteers deployed for this election season.
KZN is known to be the most volatile province, especially during the election season, with over 200 voting stations flagged as high risk and 1 064 as medium risk out of the 4 974 Independent Electoral Commission stations.
Sipho Hlomuka, the MEC of Transport and Community Safety, said Nongoma and other parts of Zululand will get maximum attention because of their reputation.
“It (Nongoma) is one area that has been experiencing the killing of councillors of late and it is one of the declared hot spots,” he said.
Hlomuka commended the good work done by the police, led by Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi for intervening decisively in troubled areas.
The University of KwaZulu-Natal political analyst, Zakhele Ndlovu, said he foresees political intolerance, particularly in Durban townships, between ANC supporters and the newly-formed uMkhonto Wesizwe (MK) Party, led by the former president Jacob Zuma.
He added that: “Incidents of violence are most likely to be between the supporters of the ANC and the MK Party.”
The University of KwaZulu-Natal Student Representative Council secretary, Thandeka Mvuyane, said that as a first-time voter, she hopes for a peaceful, free and fair election.
